Quintus Servilius Nerva
Information about the PC Quintus Servilius Nerva. You can also visit his AW home page. Position Quintus Servilius Nerva is currently a Senator. For more about Quintus' status, see the Quintus Servilius Nerva Status page. Biography Family Background The Servili Nervae are a patrician family descended from the Servili Gemini and trace their lineage back to the leading families of Alba Longa. Quintus Servilius Geminus Nerva, the grandson of the Roman Consul in 550, Gaius Servilius Geminus, earned his agnomen "Nerva" at the siege of Numantia when he reportedly attempted to climb the walls of the city 5 times, each time only to fall and try again until the rest of the Roman army finally withdrew. The name stuck and became the cognomen of later generations. The Early Years Quintus Servilius Quinti filius Quinti nepos Marci pronepos Nerva was born in 645. His father, the elder Quintus Servilius Nerva, was serving as a legate in the army of Gaius Marius and departed soon after his birth to take part in the Jugurthine War. After one of his father's other rare trips home, Quintus' brother Gnaeus was born and after another Quintus' mother, Verginia Nervae died in childbirth. Soon after, Quintus' father set off for the Cimbrian war and died at the battle of Vercellae, killed during the decisive Roman cavalry charge while serving under Marius. Quintus, only 6 years old, and his younger brother were raised by their uncle, Marcus Servilius Nerva, on the family estate near Cora. The Social War The Social War began when Quintus was 17 and he was quick to answer the call to arms. He joined the equites in Lucius Cornelius Sulla's army in the south and fought throughout Campania and Samnium. Quintus enjoyed the opportunity to escape from his schooling and found companionship with many of the other noble youths serving in the army. While the army trudged from siege to siege, the young nobles found time to ride off and often found entertainment in Capua and other still loyal cities of Campania. When duty called, Quintus served bravely, but without any notable distinctions. Like many of the young nobles of the army, Quintus admired his commander, but that admiration never transformed into the outright devotion showed by many of his companions. At the end of the war, Quintus, feeling that Rome had been saved and his duty had been done, returned home. The Civil Wars Quintus' uncle, never a very healthy man, was now weak and bedridden. When Sulla called his veterans to join him in his march on Rome, Quintus used his uncle's illness as an excuse to avoid the conflict. Respected by the Marians as the son of a man who had died in Marius' service and regarded by the Sullans as a fellow veteran, Quintus was never seriously threatened by either faction. He began to avoid traveling to the city of Rome as much as possible and came to prefer spending his time tending to his own estate. The farm prospered and Quintus was able to use his profits to increase his landholdings. As armies marched north and exiles fled south, Quintus welcomed many a wary traveler at his estate along the Via Appia. He was also a frequent visitor at the many oppulent villas in the Alban Hills. It was there that he met Titus Cloelius Siculus and his three lovely daughters. Eventually, he married one of them, Cloelia Secunda. Sulla's Dictatorship Sulla's final victory over the Marians and his subsequent dictatorship changed little for Quintus. By 675, Quintus had not entered the Pomerium in over 6 years. While some looked greedily at his growing wealthy, Quintus was able to use his connections among the Roman gentes and the Sullan veterans to protect his interests. In the assemblies, the Lex Julia which had been passed during the Social War, granting Roman citizenship to the loyal Latins and Socii, gave Quintus his own voting bloc through his influence in the cities of Cora and Norba and in the surrounding Latium countryside. During these years Quintus' relationship with his brother, Gnaeus, became increasingly strained. While Quintus had never shown any interest in debating the great questions of the day or getting involved in politics, Gnaeus had increasingly come to advocate for better rights for the lower class people of Rome. When Quintus managed to cheaply purchase a suburban insulae in Rome from an exiled Marian, Gnaeus volunteered to check out the newly acquired property. Quintus was pleased to have an excuse to avoid a trip into the city and agreed, but Gnaeus never returned and never sent any word of his actions. Quintus heard bizarre rumors about his brother, including that Gnaeus had undergone transitio ad plebem and was now a pleb living in a disreputable part of the city. There were even rumors that he was considering marrying a common girl! At home, Quintus mourned as his uncle finally succumbed to his long illness. However, the Sullan years also brought Quintus great joy with the birth of his two sons, Quintus and Marcus, and his daughter, Servilia. Notable Family and Close Associates Gnaeus Servilius Nerva - Quintus' younger brother. Quintus hasn't seen him in over three years, but rumor has it that he is living somewhere in a less reputable part of Rome together with a common pleb. Quintus has even heard that Gnaeus may have undergone transitio ad plebem and is now a plebeian himself! See the family tree for more about Quintus' family. Marcus Servilius Nubis- One of two brothers freed by Quintus' uncle. Nubis is responsible for the estate's sales and purchases. Marcus Servilius Risus - One of two brothers freed by Quintus' uncle. Risus is the manager of the Nerva estate. Fortis Firmus - A slave who has loyally served Quintus for many years. Cerasa - The nanny for Quintus' children. The Nerva Estate The Servili Nervae have a large estate between the cities of Cora and Norba. Currently around 4400 iugera, it is the largest estate in the area. The family maintains enormous influence in the two nearby cities. The family domus of the Nerva family in Rome is on the extreme western side of the Caelian Hill. Family legend has it that site has belonged to the family since the Servili family was moved to Rome after the destruction of Alba Longa. The family also has a newly acquired insulae in the city of Rome. Starting Profile Landed Aristocracy: Quintus is a Patrician family of one of the gentes minores and has a decent-sized famiy estate in the countryside. While he is not incredibly influential, he is known and has some friends among the Roman nobility and has a small voting bloc among the people. (15G/10A 2800 Iug, 150000 D, 87500 Dm) Loves Farming: Quintus is considered a bit of a rustic, but he's done well with his farm and after a bumper crop, he has expanded his holdings. (-1G, 400 Iug, 2000 D) Shrewd Businessman: Quintus has used his influence in nearby Cora to get in on a pretty sweet deal last year. (75000 D) Rustic Uncle: Last year, Quintus' childless uncle died, leaving him a sizeable estate. (1200 Iug, 5000 D) Neutral: Quintus did not support either party during the Civil War. While this has kept him from making dangerous enemies, it has also made him few influential friends. Category:PCs